Napo is struggling to make a significant difference to the working lives of members. In five years, the incumbent, Ian Lawrence, has been unable to stop a decline in membership, and it is time for him to step aside.

Probation and family court workers left Napo's annual general meeting in a significantly more buoyant mood to the one in which they arrived. Increased attendance and key debates about the strategy of the union served to energise the conference in a way that hasn't happened since probation services were part-privatised in 2014.

Socialist Party member Chas Berry, currently vice-chair of the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo), is a candidate in the union's election for national chair. Ballot papers go out on 15 July and voting closes on 25 August. Chas outlines his election programme

Members of probation and family courts union Napo are currently voting for national officers. The union is under sustained attack following the break-up and privatisation of over half the probation service.

The probation service as we knew it was broken up and signed away into history on 1 February. Workers in probation union Napo fought long and hard but were unable to prevent 50% of services being outsourced

Private vultures hoping to swoop down and feed off the remains of local Probation Trusts got a nasty shock when thousands of workers took strike action in defence of a fully integrated public service, writes Chas Berry, Kent Napo branch chair, personal capacity.